Pitlock has changed their standard packaging on most sets to include only one Pit. Until 2013 they included two pits, so you could keep a spare at home in case one was lost. Selling the sets with one Pit saves money. And since due to rising materials cost they would have to raise their prices, they decided to eliminate one Pit from the sets. However, I think this is not a good way to economize, and so we are ordering most of our sets with two Pits. This means we've had to raise prices. But I think it makes sense to have a spare Pit.

If you would prefer to have your set with only one Pit, we can special order it for you. But I really advise against it.

We are stocking a few sets with just a single Pit.

Pitlock makes locking skewers for bicycle hubs with hollow axles using 5mm diameter skewers. This is the most common type of axle on bicycles not sold at department stores such as Walmart, Kmart or Sears. If you bought your bike at a department store, it's not worth protecting with Pitlock, and Pitlocks probably won't work on your bike.

Set 02 for wheels and seatpost binder.

Some bicycle wheels are pretty expensive. You can easily pay $700 for a set of racing wheels or heavy duty touring wheels. A front wheel for a dynamo lighting system can cost well over $400. A Rohloff 14 speed hub alone will set you back $1,600 or so. While most bicycle thieves don't know the difference between a SON hub and a Wald steel bolt-on hub, they do know that a bike with generally high quality components will have expensive wheels. And if you ride a bike to work with a dynohub (and of course you should you know) your wheels could be at the mercy of every potential thief walking past the bike rack outside the building where you work.

The Pit!

Pitlock is a complete system of skewers and bolts for many of the expensive components of your bicycle. For example, your wheels are generally held onto your bike with quick release skewers. If you leave your bike unattended with just the frame locked, it takes only seconds for a thief to steal your wheels. If your bike has an expensive fork, it can be stolen with a 5mm allen wrench. Just undo the bolts holding the stem on your threadless fork, and the fork drops right out of the frame. Your seat post with saddle attached can also be stolen either by flipping open its QR, or loosening the 5mm allen bolt. Expensive V brakes can also be stripped from a bike with nothing more than a 5mm allen wrench.

You can remove your front wheel, place it alongside your rear wheel and then lock your bike to some lamp post with a big heavy "D" lock. But that limits you to only certain locations to lock your bike, locations with a suitable pole and free space surrounding it. And it means having to remove that front wheel, which may have an expensive dynohub with wiring attached, fender with a mudflap attached that can get mangled while resting on the ground, and it means your "D" lock needs to be large and heavy. With Pitlock, you can use a much smaller lock to just lock your frame or a wheel to something immobile, giving you many more options for locking your whole bike.

Nut end. The skewer shaft is extra long for thick dropouts.

Pitlock skewers make it very difficult for a thief to steal your wheels, seat post, even your threadless fork and brakes. Pitlock replaces your hub's quick release skewers, brake fixing bolts, 1 1/8" threadless headset top bolt and cap, seatpost fixing bolt, and even replaceable rear dropout bolts with special bolts that require a special stainless steel key or "Pit" wrench to open. The locking nuts can't be opened without one of 256 individually shaped "Pits". Ordinary wrenches can't grab onto the specially shaped nuts and bolt heads making up the Pitlock system. Only the included Pits can engage the heads. And there are 256 different shapes to these Pits, nutsand bolt heads. A thief would have to make a huge investment in Pitlock sets in order to have a good chance of having the correct Pit for your Pitlock set.

Back end, tapered so no wrench can lock on

You can buy a complete set of Pitlock skewers and locking bolts, or you can buy just a single Pitlock item now, and add more later if needed. For some people, the only high value item on their bike might be a Schmidt SON dynamo hub in their front wheel. You can buy just a front Pitlock skewer for it, or you can get a set with a front skewer and a seat post binder bolt, or with a rear hub skewer.

Pitlock for a seatpost binder. Set 06

In the image above, notice that the bolt is extra long. Some binders require longer bolts than others. Once you know how long yours needs to be, cut it to the desired length. If you know how long you want it when ordering, tell us and I'll cut it for you. The Pit is hollow so you can tighten it with the bolt at full length. The bolt will simply extend out the end of the Pit.

If your frame has a seat post collar that isn't an integral part of the frame, in other words, if it's a separate clamp that wraps around the top of the seat tube and clamps the tube tight to the seat post, you should check it to see if it has flat surfaces for the clamping bolt. If it does, the Pitlock seat post binder will work. If it doesn't, Pitlock makes clamps that are suitable for the Pitlock binder bolt. Measure the outside diameter of the seat tube, not the seat post, and we can sell you the correct size clamp. We stock these in silver and black.

Once you buy a set of skewers, say for your hubs, if you want to add a lock for your threadless stem, you simply provide us with the Pit code which is supplied with your first set and we'll send you a threadless stem lock that works with your original Pits. That way you can have just two Pits for all of your Pitlock products. You get two Pits when you buy any Pitlock set. Keep one with your bike (but not on your bike when you park it) and the other at home. These skewers will replace any standard 5mm (the industry standard) hub quick release skewer, regardless of brand. The Pitlock seat post bolt will replace any external seat post binder bolt and should be compatible with any loose locking collar.

Seatpost Binder with Pit inserted.

Pitlocks come in a variety of sets. There's a set that includes two Pitlock skewers (and two Pits) for your hubs. That's set #03. I don't know why. I'd have made it Set #01. But Set #01 has a front hub skewer and a seat post skewer (and two Pits). Set #02 has front and rear hub skewers and a seat post skewer along with the two Pits. Set #04 is for just a front hub skewer and #05 is just a rear hub skewer.

Locknut on left, Pit on right

Most sets include two Pits, the tool you use to tighten or loosen your Pitlock device. You get two so that you have one to keep with the bike, and a second for a spare. The Pit takes the place of an allen wrench or the lever of a hub quick release. The Pit engages the nut or bolt head of the Pitlock device, and no other wrench can engage that nut or bolt; it will just slip off. You can't even get vise grips around the Pitlock nuts since there's a very tough tapered stainless steel cover surrounding the nut that spins freely.

Backside of the nut, ridged so it won't back out

The special Pit fits in between that tapered cover and the nut or bolt head, and there are 256 different shapes to these Pits. You need either a 14mm box end wrench, or any strong rod 6mm or smaller in diameter to hold and tighten a Pit. A 5mm allen wrench or most screw drivers will fit nicely into the hole in a Pit to use as a wrench to get leverage on it.

Use a toothpick to spread a bit of grease onto the threads inside the nut. The stainless nut on the stainless shaft can bind and break the shaft without lubrication!

Nut inside the Pit, a lovely tight fit that won't slip.

The Pits are all coded with a number which you'll get with your first Pitlock set, regardless of which set you get. Any future Pitlock devices you buy should be bought using that number, so that the Pits you got with your first set will fit the new devices. There's no need to have extra Pits that are incompatible with your other Pitlock devices.

Business end of the Pitlock Skewer

In the image above, notice that the nut is inside the tapered safety ring. If a thief wants to grab onto the safety ring and turn it, it would do him no good, and in fact it will spin freely. The nut is inside the safety ring. The safety ring prevents anything except the Pit from contacting the nut and turning it loose.

If you buy a set of hub skewers, Set #03 and then add a seat post skewer later, you'll pay more than if you buy the Set #02 and get the two hub skewers with the seat post skewer. And you don't want to buy a Set #03 and then later buy a Set #06. A Set #06 is the seat post skewer and two Pits. But the Pits will probably not fit your hub skewers, unless by pure chance they happen to have the same number. When you want to add additional locking skewers for more parts of your bike, remember to order them by the Pit key code of the first set you bought, then your Pits will fit all of your Pitlock devices, and you won't be paying for more Pits.

If you're planning on getting set #03, which has two skewers for your wheels, you should give serious consideration to set #02. It's just a little bit more money, and it protects your seatpost, and perhaps your saddle. It takes only a few seconds to loosen a seatpost binder bolt with either a QR lever or a 5mm allen wrench, and the post slides right out. So for very little more than the cost of the Pitlock hub skewers, you can also protect the seatpost as well. But only if your frame is compatible.

Will the Seatpost binder fit?

In order to work properly, the Pitlock seatpost binder needs two flat surfaces. Your existing seatpost binder bolt can't be recessed into the frame. Some frames use a separate seatpost collar. Some frames have the hole for a seatpost binder incorporated in the frame itself. Take out the bolt, and look at the hole that the bolt goes through. If at each end of the hole there's a flat surface for the Pitlock binder to press against, you're all set. If not, and the frame has the hoile as a structural part, you can't use the Pitlock. If you have a separate collar, Pitlock makes collars that have flats on each end and are fully compatible with the Pitlock seatpost binder. We have them for various diameter seat tubes and in silver and black finish. Just measure the outside diameter of the seat tube of the frame, not the seat post.

I place orders to Germany about once every other month, so if you do need to add a Pitlock device to work with your existing Pits, it won't take very long to get them. Of course if you're just starting out, I have a large inventory so you shouldn't have to wait at all.

Since stainless steel can be sticky against other stainless parts, you must grease the threads of the Pitlock skewer shaft when assembling. Make sure that the thread on the shaft as well as inside the nut is greased. Use a toothpick to get grease into the nut's threads. And it's very important, if you have a SON hub, to grease it after putting the skewer through the SON hub. Too much grease inside the SON axle can clog the vent hole in the axle. So, put the skewer through the SON hub, and then put a little spot of grease on the threads.

Threadless Steerer?

No system is perfect. For most older bikes, Pitlock won't completely prevent front wheel theft. For example, if your fork has a threaded steerer, meaning that your stem inserts into the steerer, your front wheel can still be stolen if the thief can remove the stem from the steerer (usually with a 5mm allen wrench) and if he can take apart the headset. That requires a large wrench, typically one that's 32mm across, to remove the top half of the headset. Certainly it would take a while and the thief couldn't accomplish the task discreetly. Then the thief could remove the fork from the frame with the front wheel attached. He'd then have to do some serious work back in his shop to get the wheel off the fork. So, it's not perfect protection, but it's far better than most alternatives.

However, if your bike has a threadless steerer, as most bikes made in the past 15 years do, the fork can be removed from the bike by simply loosening the stem with an allen wrench. So it's critical that you protect the top cap. So if you have a threadless steerer, make sure that whatever set you get, if it's protecting the front wheel, it must also protect the headset. And that means buying a set that includes "GA" in the name.

Not Too Tight!

Resist the temptation to make the Pitlock as tight as you can get it. You don't need to lean on your wrench to make the Pitlock hold your wheel securely on your frame, provided you're using vertical dropouts. See the paragraph on horizontal dropouts below. If you clamp the Pitlock too tightly, you can break the skewer shaft. Just put a spot of grease on the thread and tighten the Pit firmly. It's designed not to loosen up while you're riding, so you don't need all of your strength to make a safe connection.

Horizontal Dropouts?

I don't recommend a Pitlock rear skewer if your frame has horizontal dropouts. Horizontal dropouts require very high clamping force, otherwise the wheel will slip forward in the right dropout. Pitlocks are designed for vertical dropouts, which do not require high clamping force. The Pitlocks can't produce enough clamping force for a horizontal dropout. Think of them as comparable to aluminum QR skewers, which, as most people now know, can't be used with older bikes having horizontal dropouts. But with vertical dropouts, Pitlocks will hold your wheel quite securely in the frame. Don't worry.

Set Prices
for Hollow Axle Hubs

All set prices include one or two Pits and a code. If you already have a Pitlock product and know the Pit code, you can order additional components to match the Pits you already have. To order parts by your existing Pit code, scroll down beyond this section to the Parts Prices section.

Set #01

Set #01: Includes front hub skewer and seatpost binder for external binder bolts and two Pits with serial number.

Pitlock for Front QR hub, seatpost and aheadset with black top cap, Set #01GA Black, Part # PIT01GAB-1: $
88.50

Set #02

Set #02: Includes everything from Set 01 plus a rear skewer. (2 Pits)

Pitlock for Front and Rear QR hubs and seatpost, Set #02, Part # PIT02: $
107.00

Set #02/GA

Set #02/GA adds an Aheadset cap and nut to the set #02 (2 Pits)

Set includes front & rear hub skewers, seat post bolt, and Aheadset top cap and bolt. If your bike has a threadless steerer, as most modern bikes do, you need the Aheadset cap and nut. That's the "GA" part. Otherwise your front wheel can be stolen by removing the fork, which takes only a few seconds.

Includes hub skewers, seatpost binder bolt, Aheadset cap and bolt, and headlight mount bolts for Busch & Müller or Schmidt headlight and mount. Measure the total thickness of your fork crown and any hardware you're attaching, like the headlight mount. The last 2 digits (33) is the length in millimeters that the bolt will accommodate, not the length of the bolt itself. (2 Pits)

Unless you specify otherwise, the Aheadset cap will be for a 1-1/8 steerer. We have both 1" and 1-1/4" available. Just let us know.

Set #02/GA/LH33, Part # PIT02GALH33: $
164.00

Set #02/GA/LH45, Part # PIT02GALH45: $
164.00

Set #02/GA/LH60, Part # PIT02GALH60: $
164.00

Set #02/GA/Disc4/LH45

Set #02/GA/Disc4/LH45: replaces the 2 regular brake bolts with 4 Disc Caliper bolts, and adds bolts to secure any Busch & Müller or Schmidt dynamo headlight with its mount to the fork crown. We use this set on our Tout Terrain bikes.

Unless you specify otherwise, the Aheadset cap will be for a 1-1/8 steerer. We have both 1" and 1-1/4" available. Just let us know.

Set #02/GA/Disc4/LH45, Part # PIT02/GA/Disc4LH45: $
264.00

Set #03

Set #03: includes two hubs skewers, front and rear, and two Pits.

Pitlock for Front and Rear QR hubs, Set #03: $
83.00

Remember that if your bike has an Aheadset or threadless steerer, your front wheel can be easily stolen by removing the fork. You should consider buying the Set #03/GA instead. See below.

Set #03/GA

Set #03/GA adds an Aheadset cap and nut to the set #03. Be sure to specify 1", 1-1/8" or 1-1/4" steerer.

Includes hub skewers, Aheadset cap and bolt, and headlight mount bolts for Busch & Müller or Schmidt headlight and mount. Measure the total thickness of your fork crown and any hardware you're attaching, like the headlight mount. The last 2 digits (33) is the length in millimeters that the bolt will accommodate, not the length of the bolt itself.

Unless you specify otherwise, the Aheadset cap will be for a 1-1/8 steerer. We have both 1" and 1-1/4" available. Just let us know.

Set #03/GA/LH33: $
147.00

Set #03/GA/LH45: $
147.00

Set #03/GA/LH60: $
147.00

Set #04

Set #04: Includes one front hub skewer and two Pits.

Pitlock for Front QR hub, Set #04: $
67.50

Set #05

Set #05: Includes one rear hub skewer and two Pits.

Pitlock for Rear QR hub, Set #05: $
67.50

Set #06

Set #06: Includes one seatpost binder bolt and one Pit.

Pitlock for Seatpost, Set #06: $
45.50

Set #07

Set #07: Includes one rear hub skewer, a seatpost binder bolt, and two Pits.

Pitlock for Rear QR Hub and Seatpost, Set #07: $
83.50

Set #08

Set #08: Includes one bolt set for dropout and one Pit.

Pitlock for Removeable Dropout, Set #08: $
44.00

Set #09

Set #09: Includes Aheadset top cap, special bolt and one Pit with serial number. The standard version is for threadless headsets on 1 1/8" steerer tubes. If you have a 1" threadless or a 1 1/4" threadless, let us know and we'll get you the correct size. There is no Pitlock for old style threaded steerer tubes. If your stem inserts into the steerer, you have the old style. But that also means you don't have the security problem introduced by threadless steerers. Most headsets for threaded steerers require special tools to take apart.

Pitlock for Aheadset (threadless) Top Nut, Set #09: $
41.00

Set #10

Set #10: Includes two special bolts for canti brake studs and one Pit with serial number.

Pitlock for Cantilever or V Brakes, Set #10: $
65.50

Set M10 (for Rohloff solid axle)

For Rohloff with solid axle, not QR or hollow axle. Also works with any 10mm x 1mm threaded axle.

What does that mean, Peter? It means the outside diameter of the axle is 10mm, and the distance from thread to thread (the thread pitch) is one millimeter. So if you take your metric ruler and lay it along the threaded axle, at every one millimeter marking, there will be the tip of the thread touching the ruler.

Set M10 is a different type of Pitlock, made specifically for those Rohloff hubs having a solid axle. The Rohloff is available with either a hollow quick release axle, or a solid axle. The solid axle version is recommended for bikes with old style horizontal dropouts, like the Campagnolo 1010 dropouts. Since the nut for a solid axle has to be much larger than the nut for a skewer, the Pit code for the M10 is not the same as for other Pitlock skewers. While the design philosophy and materials are the same, you will need to carry a different Pit for the solid axle M10 than for a front quick release hub, or brake or headset.

Also, the M10 only works with the Rohloff. The Shimano Nexus hubs use a 9.5mm axle, not the 10mm axle used by Rohloff, so don't try to use the M10 with a Shimano Nexus hub. The M10 comes with two coded nuts, collars, notched washers and one Pit.

Pitlock M10: $
124.00

Remember, this is only for those Rohloff hubs with solid axles. Rohloff hubs with hollow axles use normal skewers, therefor they use the normal Pitlocks.

Set #SH38 Double (for Alfine solid axle rear)

Set #SH38 is for the Bolt-On Alfine and Nexus rear hubs. The "Double" version gives you two Pitlock nuts, one for each side. You only need one to prevent the theft of your rear wheel but having Pitlock nuts on both sides will frustrate thieves so much, their heads will explode. And what could be more entertaining than that?

Also, if you use only one Pitlock nut, you'll need two wrenches to remove your wheel; the 15mm wrench for the axle nut Shimano uses, and a 17mm wrench for the Pitlock. Better to carry just one wrench, I think.

Set #SH38 Double: $
124.00

Not compatible with Dura Ace track hubs since the axle has a different thread.

Set #SH38 Single (for Alfine solid axle rear)

Same as above but just one nut to save money. 17mm wrench flats.

Set #SH38 Single: $
83.00

Not compatible with Dura Ace track hubs since the axle has a different thread.

Set #SH90 Double (solid axle front)

Set #SH90 is for the Bolt-On Shimano front hubs with 9mm axles. The "Double" version gives you two Pitlock nuts, one for each side. You only need one to prevent the theft of your front wheel but having Pitlock nuts on both sides will frustrate thieves so much, their heads will explode. And what could be more entertaining than that?

Also, if you use only one Pitlock nut, you'll need two wrenches to remove your wheel; the 15mm wrench for the axle nut Shimano uses, and a 17mm wrench for the Pitlock. Better to carry just one wrench, I think.

Set #SH90 Double: $
124.00

Set #SH90 Single (solid axle front)

Same as above but just one nut to save money. 17mm wrench flats.

Set #SH90 Single: $
83.00

Parts Prices

These parts all need to be ordered by your Pit code. If you don't already have a Pitlock product with a code, you need to scroll up to the section right above this section and order a Set.

Additional front or rear hub skewer. $
25.00
We have these for front and rear hubs. The rear hubs can use any axle length up to 145mm. Please specify your rear axle length so we give you the right skewer. We also have a way to fit these to Santana's 160mm rear hubs, but it costs a bit more.

Pitlock Cover Cap for 5mm skewer, Part # PITKAPPE Price: $
4.25
Note: Cover Caps are not included in Pitlock Sets. They are for cosmetic purposes only. They thread onto the skewer outside of the coded nut, and give the nut end of the skewer a similar appearance to the opposite end.

Pitlock Notched Washer for 5mm skewer, Part # PITPFED, Price: $
0.70

Pitlock teflon washer for 5mm skewer, Part # PITPTEF, Price: $
0.14

Pitlock pressure washer, Part # PITPWAPL, Price: $
4.50

Pitlock security collar for 5mm skewer, Part # PITCIRC, Price: $
7.00

Pitlock skewers, no hardware, no code

If you break or otherwise damage just the skewer shaft itself, and the rest of your hardware is fine, this is what you need.

We'll keep a record of the Pit code for your set. It will be included with your invoice, and on our copy of your invoice in our computer database. So even if you lose the code, and your invoice, we'll be able to provide you with additional components which fit your existing Pits. And, should you lose your Pit or Pits, with that code we'll be able to sell you replacement Pits. So you don't need to worry about your investment should you lose your paperwork, or your Pits. Extra components with matching Pit codes can take a month or two to bring in from Germany. I'll be placing orders about once a month for additional coded Pitlock parts. If you purchase your Pitlock set through your local bike shop, we'll have no way of knowing what your Pit code is. But as long as you keep that number you're all set.

Where to Buy?

Call us at 603 478 0900 to order directly from Peter White Cycles.

See this page for a list of local bicycle shops that generally stock our products, or can order them for you. If there's no shop in your area, you can of course order directly from us.

Dealer Inquiries Invited

We are the US representative for Pitlock. We would love to have every bicycle shop in the US and Canada selling Pitlock skewers. If you own a bicycle shop and would like to be a dealer, please give us a call. 603 478 0900

And dealers, please remember to remind your customers to grease the threads! ;-)

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